The world reacts

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"The outpouring of love and concern from so many, including
millions of Americans, is a testimony to his greatness."

US President George Bush.

"He gave us values. He gave us courage to act more effectively
in the world arena. The world will be different without John Paul
II."

- President Alexander Kwasniewski of Poland.

"He's been a great example of Christian dedication to people of
all Christian denominations and indeed of all faiths. He will also
be remembered as a person who helped lead the fight for freedom,
which led to the fall of the Berlin Wall. "

"After the war, Poles who had left were classed as displaced
people. He gave us a new view and outlook. He gave Poles new
pride."

- Mietek Swat, president of the Polish club in
Ashfield.

"I have accompanied him on many journeys but this is one he will
go on on his own, of course. That is the sadness to it, but at the
same time I really feel he has gone though so much in the last few
months and it has been so frustrating for him and I know he suffers
a lot of pain from the arthritis and so on. He really, I think, now
is ready to go home and I am grateful that the Lord is going to
take him now."

- Australian Cardinal Edward Cassidy, a former Vatican
bureaucrat, who has travelled with the Pope several times.

"At the time when communism was breaking down and needed strong
people who were prepared to push those boulders aside and to make
it possible for tyranny to end in Europe, the Pope was ... one of
the most important actors in that great [drama]."

- US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

"We unite in the spirit now of being with him in this time of
his own dying and with great confidence that Christ, who he has
served so faithfully and in such a wonderful way as Pope, will now
open the doors to receive him."

- Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney, Julian Porteous.

"Do not feel shame at showing your emotion and at shedding
tears."

- The Archbishop of Krakow, Franciszek Macharski, a long-time
friend of the Pope.